Generator control for automobiles



April 2, 1935. T. A. SAUNDERS GENERATOR CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l O M kZ%/du7dc/u;

April 2, 1935.

T. A. SAUNDERS GENERATOR CONTROL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 2, 1935 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The object of: this invention is to provide means whereby a: predetermined generation of current will beautomatically maintained. irrespective of the speed of the engine. In the electrical systems 5 nowrin use, it is the common practice to set up the commutator brush in order that sufllcient current will be generated to supply the currentneeds of the electrical devices carried by the car, and the result is that frequently in the case of prolonged high speed the generator will be injured. It is the object of my invention to permit the brushes to be set at the proper points and at the same time prevent the generator from injury at high, prolonged speeds, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings annexed, Fig. l is a fragmentary side view of parts of an automobile, with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the governing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a detailed section taken through the slippage drive;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a dial used on the instrument board of the car for guidance in setting the speed to the generator shaft;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the governing mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the governing mechanism taken at right angles to the line on which Fig. 2 is taken.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, M is a part of the usual motor. G is a part of the usual electrical generator for recharging the battery, now shown. A belt l driven in any suitable manner from the motor by a pulley H aflixed to the countershaft l2, extends through an opening in the side wall of the casing I3, and at its inner end is journalled in bearings in a yoke l4 engaging said casing, said yoke being pivoted at one end on a pivot rod l mounted on one of the casing walls.

Afilxed to the shaft l2 at a point between the arms of the yoke is a conical friction disk [8 whose conical periphery fits between and has driving contact with a pair of beveled friction wheels I! which are non-rotatively but slidably mounted on the generator shaft l8, which shaft is journalled in the walls of the casing l3. These slidable, non-rotatable disks I! are pressed toward each other by coil springs l9 so as to resiliently clamp the beveled or conical faces of the driving disk IS. The degree of friction between the driving disk and the two driven disks l1 may be varied by means of a set screw tapped through the top wall or cover of the easing and arranged to bear on the irmer, free end of the yoke I4. The degree of pressure between these disks must be such as to permit the driving disk [6 to slip with reference to the disks I! when a predetermined jretarding action is exerted on 5 thegenerator shaft I82 Affixed to the generator shaft I8 is a worm gear 2|, and meshing with this gear is a worm 22 affixed to a shaft 23 whose ends are journalled in the side walls of the casing I3. Mounted on this driven shaft 23 is a weight governor 24 of Well known type, one end of which is affixed to the shaft 23 and the other end of which is, as usual, adapted to slide along back and forth on the shaft 23 as the weights of the governor move radially inwardly or outwardly. Afiixed to the slidable end of the governor is a brake disk 25, whose working face faces toward the governor and is moved toward the weights of the governor when the governor shaft is driven. A brake block 26 (preferably of some soft or cushioning material) is arranged in the path of the brake disk 25 so that at a predetermined speed of the governor shaft the brake disk will contact the said brake block or shoe and be retarded. This brake shoe 26 will be so positioned with reference to the brake disk 25 that when the predetermined speed of the generator shaft is obtained these brake elements will so increase the load or drag on the generator shaft that a slippage will occur between the disks I6, I! and thus prevent any excess of speed by the motor from being transmitted to the generator shaft. It will thus be seen that if the brake elements 25, 26 are properly positioned, it will be impossible to injure the generator by excessive motor speed.

In order that the car owner may vary the maximum speed of the generator shaft to suit the needs of the electrical devices his car carries, I provide for adjusting the position of the brake shoe with reference to the brake disk. This may be done, of course, in any suitable manner. I illustrate the brake shoe as being mounted on a lever 21 pivoted at 28 and normally retracted by a spring 29 against a stop set screw 30 mounted in one of the walls of the casing. By turning the set screw to move outwardly, the brake shoe is moved away from the brake disk to thereby set back the point at which the brake shoe makes contact with the brake disk, thereby providing for increased speed of the generator shaft, this being desirable whenever the car owner adds a radio set, or some other accessory, to the current requirements of the battery. If the radio or other electrical device is removed from the car, then the set screw 30 will be adjusted inwardly to thus provide for a low speed of'the generator shaft. It will be seen, therefore, that when the brake or retarding elements 25, 26 are set for the needs of the particular electrical devices on the car, the generating capacity of the generator will practically remain constant even though the motor be run at high speed for prolonged intervals. In this way, I can insure against injury to the generator after the parts are once set for the proper amperage needed for the car equipment. For convenience, I may attach to the set screw 30 to a drive shaft 3! and extend the same to the instrumentboard 32 and connect the same to a simple dial device33 in order that the driver may conveniently vary the relationship of the braking elements to suitthe bodying a governor geared to the generator shaft immediate needs of the electrical I claim:

1. In combination, a driven shaft and a variable speed motor for driving same, an electric generator having a shaft, slippage driving means between said driven shaft and said generator shaft whereby when a drag of a predetermined devices.

degree is exerted uponsaid generator shaft slipfsaid disk to thus vary page driving means embodying a driven beveled friction wheel carried by the driving shaft and a pair of beveled driven wheels rotatable with but slidable upon the generator shaft, and spring means pressing these two driven wheels against the intermediate driving wheel.

3. The structure recited in claim 1, said means for applying a drag to the generator shaft emand having a friction brake disk movable back and forth by the governing action, and a brake shoe in the path of said disk and manual means for adjusting said brake shoe toward and" from thepoint at which the drag commences. V a

' THOMAS A. SAUNDERS. 

